/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69791189/usa_today_16650119.0.jpg)
There’s always something with the New York Mets and in the midst of their 9-4 victory over the Washington Nationals, the players decided to make a statement.
Players like Javier Baez and Kevin Pillar flashed thumbs down celebrations after their respective hits on Sunday in response to booing fans at Citi Field who let them have it whenever they strikeout.
Javy Báez said the Mets' new thumbs down celebration is a response to fans booing the team.
— Deesha (@DeeshaThosar) August 29, 2021
"We're not machines, we're going to struggle. ... It just feels bad when I strikeout and I get booed. ... We're going to do the same thing to let them know how it feels," he said. pic.twitter.com/CYkHVpE2KH
The New York Mets just put out a statement in which the team president said it's OK for fans to boo, it's not OK for players to mock their fans for booing and there's going to be a team meeting to address this. pic.twitter.com/xWNj3NFoBu
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 30, 2021
Frustrations are boiling over in Flushing, NY, at the end of a frustrating month of August for a team that currently sits 7.5 games out of first place in the NL East standings and seven back of the second wild card spot. New York’s season has spiraled starting ace Jacob deGrom went down with an elbow injury and has had an abysmal month of August where they have gone 7-19 heading into Tuesday’s game against the Miami Marlins.
Mets players are already taking a brunt of criticism for this move so we’ll how long it continues and if it continues should the team get hot in the month of September.
Update 9:36 p.m. ET: Mets team president Sandy Alderson released a statement late Sunday night condemning his players’ actions.
The New York Mets just put out a statement in which the team president said it's OK for fans to boo, it's not OK for players to mock their fans for booing and there's going to be a team meeting to address this. pic.twitter.com/xWNj3NFoBu
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 30, 2021